TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Info about us: we were traveling as a family of 3 on our honeymoon. We have a 6 month old baby and are in our early 30s. My husband also has a severe peanut allergy. We were there from April 9 - 16th. Check in process: the bus ride to the hotel took approximately 1h. The check in process was a little odd because we booked at the Iberostar waves Quetzal and the bus driver dropped us off at the Toucan. Once we arrived we notified the employee at the reception that it was our HoneyMoon, he proceeded to upgrade (he told us to just give him a good tip) us to a near pool room (2149), he only had 2 double beds room and told us to call zero to request a crib. Check in took approx 20min which was nice. We then took a transport to the Quetzal site. Room: the room location was fantastic, we were steps away from the pool, and although we were disappointed to not have a queen bed on our honeymoon it turned out good because the crib we got was broken and not really something I was comfortable putting down my son in (my baby rolls and moves ALOT in his sleep and he would have hurt himself on the wooden bars). So he ended up sleeping with me in one bed and my husband in another. The rooms had a bad rep on trip advisor but I found them lovely, very clean, well maintained and although the mattresses could use an upgrade, it was fine for a week. The shower water heat was a little odd, it would go in waves from the temp you set it at to hot and then cold, but it wasn’t a big deal for us. The AC worked well and we liked that there was a fan in the room. Room cleanings were done between 12-2 which was also fine for us. The HUGE downside for us was that our room was facing the resort next door where their night performance was, so from 9-11pm it was LOUD. And I mean LOUD LOUD. Luckily our baby didn’t wake but I did haha because of that I’d rate the room a 7/10. I also don’t think they cleaned the shower every day which was a little disappointing. Staff: everyone was lovely, kind and attentive. The staff took pride in their work and it showed. The resort was very well maintained, I didn’t see a single piece of trash all week. Aside from the odd comment to tip to get an upgrade id rate the staff 9/10. They wanted us to go to an info session about the hotel, I had read reports of them trying to upsell us a time share so we didn’t go. A couple we meet told us they were given the tour and it lasted over 2:30h!!! I’m glad we didn’t do it. Food: my husband has a peanut allergy and upon checking in they gave us an allergy card to show the chef before each meal. Some chefs were better than others at grasping the seriousness of a SEVERE peanut allergy. If your allergy is airborne would advise in finding another resort - there were ALOT of peanuts and I’m talking about open platters of peanut butter and bowls of peanuts at every meal. They also used peanut oil for some sauces. Aside from the allergy food was good, I had a lot of the traditional Mexican food which was amazing. We aren’t picky eaters so we always found something. We noticed later that around 12:30 there was a specialty meal around the beach area - it looked incredible. When I noticed it it was tacos! We rate the food 8/10. Resort: I’m actually quite impressed with the resort. The grounds are impressive to say the least, the wildlife was unlike anything we’ve ever seen. The gardeners worked so hard to keep everything perfect and their hard work pays off because again, ive never seen anything like this resort. So I’d give a 10/10. Drinks: drinks were good, but im breastfeeding so I didn’t try any with alcohol. Beach: ok so the beach is long, the sand is amazing. But it’s lacking sun shade. Unless you get up at 6:00 to reserve a sun shade, you aren’t getting a spot. Not that it mattered for us, but 7 days the red flag was up and the waves were massive. There were also mountains of seaweed, it might have just been the time of the year. But the staff couldn’t keep up with the removal because they were just too much. Either way, we went to the pool because it’s easier with the baby. So I’d rate 2/10 but it’s no one’s fault really. Pool: I LOVED that the bar pool was separate from the main pool, there was also a quiet pool and then the main pool. We had to get up around 6:00 to reserve a chair otherwise we wouldn’t have a spot. The pools were clean and well maintained. I’d give the pools a 9/10. I wish they had more shaded areas again. We loved our stay, we were a little sad they are renovating the grounds next month, I hope they keep the hotels charm, it’s unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. This hotel really has something special and I hope it doesn’t loose it with the modernization.

Living among the wildlife was an experience... they just went around as it is their home as well. I totally enjoyed walking through the jungle each day to wherever we were going. The beach was warm and inviting. The staff worked hard to remove the sargassum every day. We did get up early to place our towels and get a palapas. One day someone in an authority position removed towels around us after a few hours of people not showing up-I really felt it should have been done ALOT more. A real treat of this resort is that there are designated smoking areas so no butts about-just saw two on the beach. Personally felt that the food was some of the best I have experienced in an all inclusive- and I have been to a few. The downside of the resort was the room-third floor and we had to have lights on ALL the time. Outlets are limited but doable. Would I go back-YES but request a second floor room

Love it so much here! Been coming here for 7 years and keep coming back. Great to see the ocean and the absolutely amazing staff. I am currently on vacation from April 8th to 20. I just found out there is no longer a white party! So sad that after these years they cut it. Definitely my favorite night and always a big hit with other guests too. Hope they will bring it back!

We stayed in the connecting family rooms, the resort grounds are lush and full of animals. The Wildlife Issue: We had a peahen nesting on one deck, she never left, and a peacock living on the other. Because of the "mess" left behind and the incredibly loud screaming throughout the night, our patios were completely unusable. Google there, noise. Unfortunately, I cannot upload a video here. Beautiful to look at, but did not sign up to having them permanently on our patio. Room Quality: The rooms are very dated. The sheets felt low-quality, there were no power outlets by the beds, and our bathroom had a permanent septic odor. We ended up using the bathroom in the kids' room just to avoid the smell. Also, the smoke detector blinks constantly right over the pillow—not great for sleeping. Service & Food: There is no room service. If you want coffee before 7:00 AM, you can only use room one. After 7, you can only get it at the buffet and have to transport it in a plastic cup if you want to take it with you. After 8 you can get coffee at the bar, but are not allowed to take your cup to your room. We even tried to order a Pina Colada at the pool, but they "didn't have the ingredients." The "Voucher": We thought the hotel was compensating us for the trouble of not being able to use our deck with a $600 voucher, but it turned out to be a bait-and-switch for a timeshare presentation. Will never go back, mostly because they tried to make it better with a voucher that required us to go to a timeshare meeting.

Of all of the Iberostar locations in Cancun/Dom. Rep. this one was disappointing! We knew it was older and getting a full renovation this summer, so we paid extra for two “already renovated” rooms. Unfortunately, the A/C did not work, & we spent the better part of the first 2 days addressing this issue. The air filter in both rooms were completely clogged! Removing them helped a little in our room, but our kids were sweating in theirs. By the 3rd day of dealing with maintenance & nothing working, we told them to move us. Of the 6 rooms we could move to, we found the EXACT SAME THING … A/C not working, air filters completely clogged! So we stayed put. For the entire week, our kids hung out every waking second in our room where it was cooler. (So glad we spent $$$ on two rooms!) No worries, member services comped us a $35 bottle of wine, my $30 laundry service & my hubby’s $80 taxi to golf! This is not a Selection resort, so there is no Star Café & only 1 of the 6 coffee machines in the buffet were working properly, so a good cup of coffee was HARD to come by. And relaxing on your balcony is often interrupted with the coati peeing and pooping on your deck. It’s a smaller resort with phenomenal natural beauty and lots of wildlife! It has great potential, but it’s not there yet, & if our rooms were already “renovated” I’m not holding out hope that this summer’s renovation is going to change much.